Climate & Tree-Ring Laboratory (CTRL)

The CTRL conducts state-of-the-art tree ring studies at UAF. Much of the scientific consensus about climate change is based on tree ring data. With their annual or seasonal resolution, widespread occurrence, and multiple measurable properties, tree rings are one of the best sources of information about past climates and ecosystem conditions.

UAF was involved in the early development of tree-ring research. More recently, it was one of the first academic institutions to develop a focus on climate change and has contributed important and widely recognized results in climate and tree-ring research. Many challenging questions remain in the far north in this time of rapid environmental change, such as net boreal forest uptake or release of carbon, reconstruction of past climates, and forest growth. International research groups, federal agencies, and state institutions are increasing their demand for Alaska tree-ring sample preparation, measurement, analysis, and archiving related to climate change issues and to the multiple applications of tree-ring analysis such as the earth sciences and archeology.